Optimizing joint aerial-layer networks using steerable antennas

ABSTRACT

A communication optimization system/method for mobile networks uses a server that generates waypoints based on a first communication network within a route to be travelled by an aerial vehicle, the aerial vehicle comprising a communication hub configured to communicate with at least one communication node, a communication hub controller configured control movement of a steerable antenna, and an aerial vehicle controller configured control movement of the aerial vehicle. The server then transmits the waypoints to the aerial vehicle controller; periodically monitors networks not connected to the communication hub; when a second communication network not connected to the communication hub satisfies a threshold, transmits causes the communication controller to steer the steerable antenna in a direction of the second communication network, further causing the communication hub to communicate and connect with the second communication network.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates generally to the field of aerial networks, andmore specifically to systems and methods for allowing mobile vehicles toprovide networks.

BACKGROUND

Airborne communications systems, such as joint layered area networks(JALNs) have been developed to enable communications betweenelectronic/communication devices in remote locations not having acommunication infrastructure. In implementing airborne communicationsystems, a flight path/orbit is generated for a mobile vehicle (e.g.,aerial vehicle) that houses an airborne communication hub. The flightplan includes waypoints for the aerial vehicle to pass through toposition the communication hub in desired locations to enablecommunication links between the communication hub and communicationsubscriber nodes (nodes or communication nodes).

In creating a flight path/orbit for the aerial vehicle, a missionplanner combines his/her experience with information that includes thelocation of communication subscriber nodes and the knowledge of theaerial platform and the type of terrain. This approach, however, isfraught with difficulty. As the number of communication subscribernodes, their respective mission priorities and communicationrequirements increase, the planner is presented with a combinatorialexplosion of interacting variables that need to be considered increating the flight path/orbit.

Conventional software solutions have solved the above-described problemby providing computer-generated results that optimize the aerialvehicle's flight paths/orbits. The computer-generated flight paths cansometimes be dynamically revised based on the ever-changing missionconditions. However, conventional software solutions suffer from atechnical shortcoming. For instance, conventional software solutions mayonly focus on revising flight paths and may not consider changingnetwork conditions. Therefore, while an aerial vehicle may change itspath to optimize connectivity, the aerial vehicle may not considerconnecting/disconnecting from different JALNs. Therefore, conventionalmethods may optimize connectivity by changing the flight path, which maybe an expensive and time-consuming solution.

SUMMARY

What is therefore desired are communication techniques that inherentlyenable the simultaneous use of multiple communication protocols inconjunction with altering a predetermined flight path. The methods andsystems described herein may optimize connectivity by continuouslymonitoring network conditions and dynamically changing networkconnectivity. For instance, an aerial vehicle may be equipped withsteerable antennas and in communication with a mission control server.The mission control server may continuously monitor JALN attributesassociated with the aerial vehicle. When the mission control serverdetermines that connecting to a new network (and disconnecting from anetwork that was part of the original flight plan) improvesconnectivity, the mission control server may control the steerableantenna, connect to the new network, and disconnect from the originalnetwork to improve connectivity.

In an embodiment, an electronic system for an aerial vehicle configuredto connect a plurality of communication nodes comprises a communicationhub configured to communicate with at least one communication nodewithin the plurality of communication nodes using a steerable antenna;and a communication hub controller configured control one or moremovement attributes of the steerable antenna; an aerial vehiclecontroller configured control one or more movement attributes of theaerial vehicle; and a server in communication with the aerial vehicle,the server configured to: in response to receiving an indication of atleast one communication node, generate a plurality of waypoints based ona first communication network within a route to be travelled by theaerial vehicle; transmit the waypoints to the aerial vehicle controller;periodically monitor one or more networks not connected to thecommunication hub; when a second communication network not connected tothe communication hub satisfies a threshold, transmit an instruction tothe communication hub controller, the instruction causing thecommunication controller to steer the steerable antenna in a directionof the second communication network, the instruction further causing thecommunication hub to communicate and connect with the secondcommunication network.

In another embodiment, a method comprises in response to receiving anindication of at least one communication node, generating, by a server,a plurality of waypoints based on a first communication network within aroute to be travelled by an aerial vehicle, the aerial vehiclecomprising: a communication hub configured to communicate with at leastone communication node within the plurality of communication nodes usinga steerable antenna; and a communication hub controller configuredcontrol movement of the steerable antenna; and an aerial vehiclecontroller configured control movement of the aerial vehicle;transmitting, by the server, the waypoints to the aerial vehiclecontroller of the aerial vehicle; periodically monitoring, by theserver, one or more networks not connected to the communication hub;when a second communication network not connected to the communicationhub satisfies a threshold, transmitting, by the server, an instructionto the communication hub controller, the instruction causing thecommunication controller to steer the steerable antenna in a directionof the second communication network, the instruction further causing thecommunication hub to communicate and connect with the secondcommunication network.

Embodiments disclosed herein solve the aforementioned technologicalproblems and/or other technological problems. The systems and methods ofthe disclosure are capable of independently optimizing multipleinformation flows between different networks. The disclosed systems andmethods redistribute traffic for optimal link utilization.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings constitute a part of this specification andillustrate embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein.

FIG. 1A illustrates a communication system that implements acommunication travel plan generation system, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIGS. 1B-C illustrate components of mobile vehicles within thecommunication travel plan generation system, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communication travel plan generationsystem, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an illustration communication travel plan generation system,in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates communications between aerial communication platformsutilizing the travel plan generation system, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a communication travel plan generationsystem, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of a process executed in acommunication optimization system, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a non-limiting example of the operations of acommunication travel plan generation system, in accordance with anembodiment.

FIGS. 8A-B illustrate non-limiting examples of the operations of acommunication travel plan generation system, in accordance with anembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is here described in detail with reference toembodiments illustrated in the drawings, which form a part here. Otherembodiments may be used and/or other changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Theillustrative embodiments described in the detailed description are notmeant to be limiting of the subject matter presented here.

Reference will now be made to the illustrative embodiments illustratedin the drawings, and specific language will be used here to describe thesame. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scopeof the claims or this disclosure is thereby intended. Alterations andfurther modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, andadditional applications of the principles of the subject matterillustrated herein, which would occur to one ordinarily skilled in therelevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to beconsidered within the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein.

Rather than having one or more mission planners enter waypoints manuallyinto a flight planning system (or mission planning system), embodimentsdisclosed herein implement a communication travel plan generationsystem. The communication travel plan generation system is generally amission planning system. Embodiments support both fully automatic andhuman assisted mission planning. The communication travel plangeneration system computes travel waypoints automatically based onmission-specific information. The communication travel plan generationsystem also continuously monitors network attributes and conditions.Therefore, the communication travel plan generation system may alsodynamically revise network connectivity of one or more aerial vehicles,such that the aerial vehicles provide better network connection tovarious subscriber nodes.

FIG. 1A illustrates a communication system 100 that implementsembodiments of the communication optimization system described herein.In the depicted embodiment, a mobile vehicle 102 a traverses abouttravel area 104. The mobile vehicle 102 a may be configured to providenetwork to various electronic devices within the travel area 104. Insome embodiments, the mobile vehicle 102 a may work with one or moreother mobile vehicles to provide network connectivity to variouselectronic devices within the travel area 104. For instance, the mobilevehicle 102 a may work in conjunction with the mobile vehicle 102 b. Themobile vehicles 102 a and/or 102 b may be an aerial vehicles (e.g.,airplane or drone) or any other mobile vehicle (e.g., car). As depictedin FIGS. 1B-C, each mobile vehicle may include sensors 106 a-d(collectively sensors 106) or sensors 108 a-d (collectively sensors108), communication hubs 110 and 112, and the controllers 114 and 116.

The mobile vehicles 102 a-b may utilize the communication hubs 110 and112 to communicate with the mission control server 118. The missioncontrol server 118 may be any computing device comprising a processorand non-transitory machine-readable storage capable of executing thevarious tasks and processes described herein. Non-limiting examples ofsuch computing devices may include workstation computers, laptopcomputers, server computers, laptop computers, and the like. While thesystem 100 includes a single mission control server 118, in someconfigurations, the mission control server 118 may include any number ofcomputing devices operating in a distributed computing environment.

In operation, the mission control server 118 may generate a travel planfor the mobile vehicles 102 a and/or 102 b, such that these mobilevehicles provide network connectivity to one or more electronic deviceswithin the travel area 104. As will be described below, the missioncontrol server 118 may also communicate with various sensors within thetravel area 104 and dynamically revise the travel plan of the mobilevehicles 102 a and/or 102 b. The mission control server 118 may also usethe data received from the sensors to control the functionality of themobile vehicles 102 a and/or 102 b. For instance, when the missioncontrol server 118 determines that at least one of the mobile vehicles102 a and/or 102 b can optimize the network connectivity using adifferent network protocol or by connecting to a different network, themission control server 118 may communicate with the controller 114and/or the controller 116 and modify the travel plan. Specifically, themission control server 118 identify better networks for the mobilevehicles 102 a and/or 102 b to connect using sensors 106/108 and/orother sensors within the travel area 104.

The travel area 104 may also include a plurality of spaced communicationsubscriber hubs 122 a-122 e (collectively CSH 122 or sometimes referredto as communication nodes or nodes). The CSH 122 may communicate withthe communication hub 110 of the mobile vehicle 102 a as the mobilevehicle 102 a traverses throughout the travel area 104 during a mission.The communication travel plan generation system 100 may automaticallygenerate travel waypoints for the mobile vehicle 102 a and/or 102 b withat least one controller 114 and/or 116. The generation of the travelwaypoints is based on the location of the CSH 122 and mission-specificinformation as described in detail below.

In an embodiment, more than one mobile vehicles with a communication hubis used in the communication system 100. As illustrated, thecommunication system 100 is shown as also including mobile vehicle 102b. The communication travel plan generation system 100 is alsoconfigured to coordinate the paths of both mobile vehicles 102 a and 102b. Moreover, more than two vehicles could be implemented in a similarmanner in a communication system.

The system 100 also illustrates an embodiment with a mission controlserver 118 that is in communication with the mobile vehicles 102 a and102 b. The mission control server 118 may provide mission-specificinformation to the respective mobile vehicles 102 a and 102 b. Themission control server 118 may be in communication with sensors 120 a,120 b, and 120 c (collectively sensors 120). The sensors 120 may providemission-specific information to the mission control server 118. Themission-specific information may be information related to surveillanceof variance conditions within the travel area 104. The mission controlserver 118 may communicate the sensed mission-specific information tothe mobile vehicles 102 a and 102 b. The sensor generatedmission-specific information may be used in an embodiment to dynamicallychange the travel path (or other functionality) of one or more of themobile vehicles 102 a and/or 102 b as further discussed in detail below.In some embodiments, the mission control server 118 may receive theabove-described information from the sensors 106/108.

The sensors 120 may include, but are not limited to, radar sensors,camera sensors, thermal imaging sensors, etc. In one embodiment, sensors120 may be implemented within the mobile vehicles 102 a and/or 102 bthemselves and/or within the CSH 122. This embodiment provides a systemthat allows the mobile vehicle 102 a and/or 102 b to dynamically updatethe travel path or connection plan autonomously.

Although, the communication travel plan generation system 100 can beapplied to any type of communication system that implements a mobilevehicle with a communication hub, it has particular applicability toaerial vehicles. One aerial vehicle application is for military usewhere an aerial platform with a communication hub is needed to providecommunication links to subscriber communication nodes on land, air, andsea. The mission-specific information for this type of application mayinclude the types of subscriber communication nodes to be used, thecapabilities of the aerial platform itself, and a host of otherpotential data such as terrain, weather, relative priority of thevarious subscriber nodes and surveillance information. Themission-specific information needed in the communication system 100 mayinclude the type of and capabilities of the CSH 122 that need tocommunicate with the communication hub 110 of the mobile vehicle 102 aand 102 b.

Regarding military applications, despite efforts to standardize, a widevariety of military radios exist with varying capabilities andfunctions. Some older radios may only provide voice communications, orsupport legacy data communication approaches, such as Link-16. Newerradio systems typically support IP-based network communications, and mayeven use IP protocols to support other important functions, such asVoice over IP, file transfers, email, etc. It is desirable for thecommunication travel plan generation system 100 to be able toaccommodate this wide variety of radios and capabilities. Even for aparticular instance of radio hardware it is quite possible thatdifferent radio waveforms with different capabilities and functions aresupported. For example, Harris's PRC-152A and PRC-117G radios arecapable of operating using either the ANW2 or the SRW waveform, and caneven switch back and forth between these two modes of operation with thesimple flip of a switch.

In addition, an aerial platform typically incorporates a mix ofdifferent radio types, potentially including both legacy and IP-basedradios. The capabilities of an aerial platform therefore are, at aminimum, the sum of the collection of the radios it includes. Finally,different radios and platforms may be available in differentconfigurations. For example, different antenna configurations or thepresence of external power amplifiers can radically alter theperformance characteristics of radios. Mission-specific radio planningparameters are also an issue where, for instance, a total bandwidth of 1Mbps might be evenly divided amongst the expected number of radioelements. A 2-radio network might be set for 500 Kbps per radio, whereasa 10-radio configuration might be set for 100 Kbps per radio. Anautomated planning system preferably is capable of accepting a widevariety of input data about a diverse set of radios, platforms, andtheir configurations. Moreover, a truly advanced planning system of anembodiment incorporates planning elements, which actually define theconfiguration of the radios themselves and even suggest, for example,desired antenna or power amplifier configurations.

FIG. 2 illustrates a travel generation flow diagram 200, in accordancewith an embodiment. The method 200 describes various steps inimplementing and applying a mission plan for a mobile vehicle (e.g., themobile vehicle 102 a and/or 102 b discussed in FIG. 1A).

The method 200 includes steps 200-218. However, other embodiments mayinclude additional or alternative execution steps, or may omit one ormore steps (or any part of the steps) altogether. The method 200 isdescribed as being executed by a server, similar to the mission controlserver described in FIG. 1A. However, one or more steps of method 200may also be executed by any number of computing devices operating in thedistributed computing system described herein.

Even though some aspects of the embodiments described herein aredescribed within the context of proving network connectivity during amission, it is expressly understood that methods and systems describedherein apply to all JALNs and generally to all networks provided usingmobile vehicles.

The process starts by inputting mission-specific information into amission planning system of the vehicle at step 202. The mission-specificinformation would include the location of the communication subscribernodes. Other mission-specific information is described in detail below.Pertinent mission-specific information is then extracted from themission planning system at step 204. The pertinent mission-specificinformation may be used to generate travel waypoints at step 206. In oneembodiment, all of the mission-specific information needed to generatethe travel waypoints are extracted from the mission planning system.

In another embodiment, the communication travel plan generation systemreceives at least some of the mission-specific information from anothersource, such as, but not limited to, mission control described in FIG.1A, an input to the communication travel plan generation system usedduring pre-planning, and sensors (e.g., sensors 120 in FIG. 1A) at step(208). As described in detail below, the communication travel plangeneration system implements a geographical simulation in generating thetravel waypoints.

Once the travel waypoints have been generated, they are output to themission planning system of the mobile vehicle at step 210. The missionplanning system then may use the waypoints to generate a mission plan atstep 212. The mission plan is to implement at step 214. The mobilevehicle then traverses the travel area and communicates withcommunication subscriber nodes. The controller of the mobile vehicle maymonitor for changes in the mission-specific information step 216. If nochanges to the mission-specific information is detected at step 216, itis then determined if the mission is complete at step 218. If themission is complete at step 218, the process ends. If the mission is notcomplete at step 218, the controller of the mobile vehicle continues tomonitor for changes in the mission-specific information at step 218. Ifthe controller does detect changes in the information-specificinformation at step 218, a new set of path waypoints are generated atstep 206 and the process continues as shown. Hence, this embodimentillustrates a system that dynamically changes the mission plan as themission-specific information changes.

The operation of mobile airborne and air/surface networks and radios isa highly dynamic proposition. Hence, having the ability to dynamicallyadjust the mission plan during a mission based on changing situations ishighly desirable in some situations. While traditional “forward” flightplanning can be used to direct an airborne communications platform toits intended mission area and back to its base, the flight behavior itexhibits while actually “loitering” over a battle space or followingcommunication subscribers have a major impact on critical parameterssuch as network bandwidth, coverage footprint, and radio range. For manyInternet Protocol (IP) and data-oriented radio networks bandwidth, forexample, may vary widely depending on distance and other factors.

Entry and exit of elements into and out of the battlespace are alsofactors that may not always be easily predictable. To the extent thatthe motion of supported elements and entry/exit times are known ahead oftime pre-planning may be done, but the real strength of an advancedsystem of embodiments is to allow for dynamic re-planning in the face ofchanging conditions during the actual mission. Other dynamicmission-specific information may include terrain, weather effects,antenna orientation during flight maneuvers, surveillance informationand constraints based on known or suspected positions of enemy elementsare also capable of changing rapidly and effecting mission performance.

As deployment of airborne communication platforms grows, it is expectedthat multiple airborne platforms, as discussed above in regards to FIG.1A, are used in support of a single mission. The ability to plan andcontrol these multiple platforms in a coordinated way may be important.For example, multiple platforms might form a mesh network amongstthemselves while still supporting communication subscribers, permittinga pre-planned (or dynamically managed) hand-off of support from oneplatform to another and advanced routing between airborne platforms.This type of advanced capability could be used to support connectivityboth within the battle space and to other elements located remotely orotherwise outside of the battle space proper. The ability to balance thecommunication and connectivity requirements of diverse elements in amission and to ensure that all requirements are met as well as possiblein the face of dynamically changing network and battle space conditionsis a challenge for any advanced mission planning system.

In an embodiment, a mission planner simply enters the location of thecommunication subscriber nodes, along with the mission-specificinformation described above such as mission priorities and the types ofsubscriber communication nodes in use into an existing mission planningsystem. The communication travel plan generation system pulls thisinformation from the mission planning system and uses the platform,terrain, radio, and other information available to it to automaticallygenerate a set of travel waypoints which are inserted back into themission planning system. With this system, mission planning personnelare no longer required to have multi-disciplinary expertise and a wealthof experience to plan the flight path. The communication travel plangeneration system performs the complex tasks and shields missionplanning personnel from all the inherent complexity of the problem.

This approach can more effectively utilize the resources of thededicated aerial platform, maximizing radio connectivity for subscribersas required for the mission. Moreover, in an embodiment, thecommunication travel plan generation system not only analyzes the givenmission information and generates the flight path, it also predicts whenand how much coverage can be expected by each communication subscribernode. This can be critically important for communication subscribernodes, allowing them to budget and extend the battery life of radios andalso know when to expect connectivity during the course of theirmissions. As discussed above, in one embodiment, the communicationtravel plan generation system is configured to dynamically adjust theflight path based on changes in the mission information. This dynamiccommunication travel plan generation system can be referred to a DynamicAirborne Mission Communication System (DYNAMICS), which is fullydescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,685,088, filed Apr. 8, 2016, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

A generalized overall illustration of a flight planning andcommunication system 300 of an embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3. Themission planner 302 in this embodiment enters into the mission planningsystem 304 the location of each communication subscriber node 306 thatis to be communicated with during a mission. The locations of eachcommunication subscriber node 306 are shown, for illustration purposesin FIG. 3, as a subscriber location map 308 that illustrated differentnodes 324. In this embodiment, the mission planning system 304 passesthe communication subscriber location map 308 to the communicationtravel plan generation system 310 for processing.

The communication travel plan generation system takes this information,along with other mission-specific information that may include platforminformation 312, terrain information 316, and radio specificationinformation of the communication subscriber nodes (radio specs 314),mission priorities information, and other available information toautomatically generate a set of travel waypoints 318, which iscommunicated back into the mission planning system 304. The missionplanning system 304 then, based on the relieved waypoints from thecommunication travel plan generation system 310 sets out the flight path320. As discussed above, although the platform information 312 isillustrated as including aerial vehicles, embodiments can be employed onother types of mobile vehicles that include a communication hub that isto be in communication with a plurality of communication subscribernodes. Hence, the mission planning system 304 may provide a travel pathinstead of a flight path. Further, in embodiments, communication travelplan generation system 310 analyzes the scenario and the flight path topredict when and how much coverage 322 can be expected by eachcommunication subscriber node as described below.

Use of the communication travel plan generation system 310 addressesthree major technical challenges to achieve the capability for inverseplanning of mission flight plans. First, the planning solution iscapable of dealing with a diverse set of military radios of thecommunication subscriber nodes. Some of these radios supportsophisticated IP networking, while others may support only voice orolder, legacy networking capabilities. Second, in embodiments, theplanning software is integrated with existing and futuremission-planning systems, as well as being able to operate in astand-alone manner both for testing and as a viable use case. Thirdly,in addition to being able to “pre-plan” missions, the planning solutionin an embodiment react in real time during the course of a pre-plannedmission to adjust flight geometry and dynamically re-plan based onchanges in the battle space.

As discussed above, the communication travel plan generation system 300can be a standalone package or can be integrated in a mission planningsystem. By designing in complete input/output isolation, the innovativecommunication travel plan generation system approach ensures easyintegration with present and future planning systems as well asstand-alone operation. Non-limiting examples of a communication travelplan generation system 300 integrated with a mission planning system,such as the joint mission planning system (IMPS), is described in theU.S. Pat. No. 9,685,088, filed Apr. 8, 2016, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No.9,685,088 also describes how the mission control server can generatevarious waypoints and guide a mobile vehicle (e.g., aerial vehicle) toprovide connectivity to various nodes.

Referring now to FIG. 4, an integration solution utilizing the systemsand methods described herein is illustrated. Specifically, theintegration solution is installed on four aerial network platforms: aforward operating base (FOB) 410, an aerial platform 420, an unmannedaerial vehicle (UAV) platform 430, and a Ship-borne platform 440. Asdescribed herein, forward operating base (FOB) 410 is also called aground station, and Aerial platform 420 is also called an aircraft. Dataflow between nodes of the aerial network might occur over high capacityfree space optical (FSO) links 460 or lower-bandwidth radio frequency(RF) links 450. An example of high data-rate flow is shown at the FSOcommunication path (large-dash lines) 480 between FOB 410 and Ship-borneplatform 440, and examples of lower bandwidth data flow are shown at theRF communication paths (small-dash lines) 484.

In the embodiment 400, as the aerial platform 420 crosses a terrainobstruction 490, the mission control server automatically redirects thedata from the obstructed RF link 488 between FOB 410 and Aerial platform420 to data flow 480 at the FSO links between FOB 410 and Aerialplatform 420 via satellite 470. Forward error correction (FEC) data onboth links between the FOB 410 and Aerial platform 420 mitigate thenumber of packets lost entirely, thus reducing failover effects.

In the scenario 400, the aerial platform 420 has temporarily lost FSOcommunication 480 with the ship-borne platform 440 due to an atmosphericobstruction 494. As RF links 450 between the two nodes are stillconnected, the rebalances the traffic to utilize the lower-bandwidth RFlinks. In an embodiment, FEC data reduce data loss while the missioncontrol server redirects the flow. In an embodiment, the higherdata-rate flow 480 is too large for a single RF network link 450, andmission control server rebalances the data between two available RFpaths. The available RF paths include data flow 484 at the direct RFlink between the aerial platform 420 and ship-borne platform 440, anddata flow 484 at the RF link between the aerial platform 420 andShip-borne platform 440 via the UAV platform 430.

Example: In an exemplary embodiment, an aerial vehicle equipped with thesystems and methods described herein is capable of planning measurestaken against anticipated enemy actions such as electronic warfare (EW)jamming and signal tracking. An aerial vehicle would, when about toenter a known RF-contested environment, automatically and preemptivelyreroute data over alternate FSO network links.

As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 5, mission planning system 500may generate network-oriented flight plans based on optimizing networkmesh connectivity. As described herein, mission planning system 500, isredesigned for predictive load balancing and identifying/utilizingdifferent communications systems. System 500 automatically createsnetwork-oriented flight plans 550 using a mission plan modelingcomponent 520 based on user inputs of mission-specific data 510 tomodeling component 520. In various embodiments of modeling module 520,causes the aerial vehicles to dynamically revise to which communicationssystems they connect.

Based on mission-specific data input 510 to modeling module 520,modeling module 520 performs a geographic search/simulation/optimization530 of network node locations, flight route paths of aircraft and otherplatforms, and other geographic factors to develop a network-orientedmission plan 550. In various embodiments, mission-specific data 510include locations of FSO and Radio subscriber nodes, terrain, weather(e.g., atmospheric conditions and obstructions), and othermission-specific data 510. In an embodiment, mission-specific data foroverlay network subscriber nodes includes, e.g., airborne, maritime, andground-based radio nodes and their configurations, including FSO and RFcommunications, among others. In an embodiment, geographicsearch/simulation/optimization 530 defines network node locations andother geographic factors within a battlespace volume. As describedherein, the battlespace volume is sometimes called the missiongeographic area.

In an embodiment, mission-specific data 510 includes a flight plan/orbittemplate for flight paths selected by the users. In various embodiments,the flight path template included simple circular orbits ofuser-selected center position and radius, racetrack, figure-eight, and6-waypoint orbits. In various embodiments, GeographicSearch/Simulation/Optimization 530 determines the characteristic ofairborne and surface-based radios in subscriber network nodes at anytime throughout the mission geographic area. In various embodiments,Geographic Search/Simulation/Optimization 530 employs a heuristic 3D/4Dsimulation and optimization algorithm.

The modeling module 520 incorporates behavior models 540 for a diverseset of military radios including FSO and RF communications. In anembodiment, behavioral models for military radios facilitate geographicmodeling for a particular pair of military radios via connectivityfunctions at specified three dimensional locations at a particular time.In an embodiment, modeled characteristics for digital radios includedbandwidth, latency, and loss. Modeled characteristics for analog radiosincluded signal strength, gain, and/or S/N ratio. In an embodiment, themission planning system 500 includes additional FSO-specific coverageparameters, such as minimum duration of connectivity and degradationcharacteristics. In addition, behavior models 540 includeplatform-specific behaviors for a variety of aerial communicationplatforms.

In an embodiment, the mission planning system 500 is configured tooutput a pre-planned mission plan file 550 including predictive trafficload balancing of FSO communications and other radio communicationswithin the mission geographic area. In an embodiment, in addition tobeing able to “pre-plan” missions, mission planning system 500 iscapable of reacting in real time to updates to the mission-specific data510 during the course of a pre-planned mission. Mission planning system500 can output a “re-planned” mission plan file 542 based on changeswithin the mission geographic area.

In an embodiment, the mission planning system includes multi-radiosupport, enabling complete analysis of flight-time RF and FSOinteractions. That is, the mission server may use sensors (locatedwithin the travel area or associated with the nodes within the travelarea or the mobile vehicle) to identify networks within thepredetermined travel path of the mobile vehicle. In some embodiments,the sensors may include advanced radio technologies including a highcapacity backbone (HCB) with network management features. Missionoriented network visibility presents the network operator with agraphical, geo-mapped picture of the HCB where traffic of interest isautomatically tagged with mission relevant labels to provide theoperator with improved situational awareness. Mission optimized networkoperations automatically performs QoS-aware and mission informed loadbalancing and admission control of network traffic. Mission responsivenetwork control provides system-mediated in-mission reconfiguration ofnetwork elements such as radios and routers in response to high-levelmission-centric network directives issued by the operator or externalnetwork events such as link impairments.

Conventional Air Force mission planning systems require that usersmanually enter flight paths. To address this limitation, modeling andoptimization tool was developed and described in the patent applicationincorporated herein. The methods and systems described within theincorporated patent, is a software system that can be stand-alone orintegrated with existing mission planning systems. Rather than requiringend-users to enter courses, courses can be planned automatically basedon where the other mission elements are positioned. This information,along with relative priorities and specifics about radios, allows formore effective planning of courses and placement in airspace ofdedicated airborne relays.

In various embodiments, the methods and systems described herein improveoverall network connectivity. By leveraging software models of vehicles,communications platforms, terrain, atmospheric, and other conditions,the methods and systems described herein are able to construct networkconnectivity over the life of a given mission where the networkconnectivity can periodically be optimized. Unlike morecomputing-intensive computational models, the methods and systemsdescried herein may efficiently calculate and revise connection linksduring the mission. During operation, if mission elements approach aboundary in which a better network connectivity link/mesh is available,the mission control server may redirect traffic over alternative networkpaths, increasing network connectivity and efficiency.

In some embodiments, dynamic airborne mission communication systeminstalled within the aerial vehicles can be augmented by a dynamicnetwork mesh optimization protocol/software solution. The dynamicnetwork mesh optimization software may provide seamless data exchangeacross the diverse data links while retaining interoperability withother emerging and legacy data links, even when operating in contestedenvironments. The dynamic network mesh optimization software maymaximize manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) network coverage by continuallyre-assessing and optimizing node placement and antenna pointing. Themethod and systems described herein can be hosted on a wide range ofexisting and future equipment without any change to the communicationhardware of the targeted MUM-T data links. The mission control servermay optimize network connectivity by determining where to aim steerableantennas within the JALN to maximize network connectivity.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of a process executed in acommunication optimization system, according to an embodiment. Themethod 600 includes steps 602-608. However, other embodiments mayinclude additional or alternative execution steps, or may omit one ormore steps (or any part of the steps) altogether. The method 600 isdescribed as being executed by a server, similar to the mission controlserver described in FIG. 1A. However, one or more steps of method 600may also be executed by any number of computing devices operating in thedistributed computing system described herein.

Even though some aspects of the embodiments described herein aredescribed within the context of proving network connectivity during amission, it is expressly understood that methods and systems describedherein apply to all JALNs and generally to all networks provided usingmobile vehicles.

At step 602, the mission control server may, in response to receiving anindication of at least one communication node, generate a plurality ofwaypoints based on a first communication network within a route to betravelled by an aerial vehicle. The aerial vehicle may include acommunication hub configured to communicate with at least onecommunication node (e.g., CSH or node) within the plurality ofcommunication nodes using a steerable antenna; a communication hubcontroller configured control movement of the steerable antenna; and anaerial vehicle controller configured control movement of the aerialvehicle.

As described above, a user operating a platform provided by the missioncontrol server may input mission-specific information into the platform.For instance, a user familiar with the mission may input variousattributes of the mission into the platform. Mission attributes mayinclude identification of communication nodes awaiting connectivityusing a mobile vehicle, e.g., a manned or unmanned aerial vehicle.Mission specific information may also include terrain data identifyinggeographical attributes associated with the area in which the missionwill take place. For instance, a soldier or commander may input missiondata into the platform provided by the mission control server.

The mission specific data may include identification of the nodesneeding to be connected using a mobile vehicle, sensors within thegeographical area of the mission, identification of the geographicalarea of the mission, such as existence of obstructive conditions (e.g.,valleys, mountains, and rivers), elevation information, a number ofmobile vehicles configured to provide connectivity to the communicationnodes, and the like. The mission control server may then use the methodsand systems herein to generate a flight path/orbit including waypointsfor the one or more aerial vehicles.

At step 604, the mission control server may transmit the waypoints tothe aerial vehicle controller of the aerial vehicle. Using the methodsand systems described herein, the mission control server may calculatean optimized flightpath for the mobile vehicle. The mission controlserver may also calculate specific waypoints along the optimizedflightpath. The mission control server may then transmit the waypointsand the flightpath to the mobile vehicle. In some embodiments, themission control server may transmit the waypoints to a pilot of anaerial vehicle. When the aerial vehicle is an unmanned vehicle, themission control server may transmit the waypoints to a remote operator(e.g., drone operator) of the unmanned aerial vehicle. In some otherembodiments, the mission control server may transmit the waypoints to asoftware configured to control the unmanned aerial vehicle. As describedherein, mission control may continuously monitor various attributes ofthe mission and may dynamically revise the flightpath accordingly.

At step 606, the mission control server may periodically monitor one ormore networks not connected to the communication hub. Throughout themission (e.g., throughout the flight of the aerial vehicle) the missioncontrol server may periodically (e.g., every five minutes, ten minutes,or any other predetermined and revisable window of time) monitor one ormore networks utilized by the aerial vehicle. For instance, as theaerial vehicle traverses through the waypoints, the aerial vehicle isconfigured to connect to one or more existing networks/JALNs, therebyproviding connectivity to one or more nodes using those networks.

In some configurations, the mission control server may calculate allpossible networks along the flight path and transmit instructions to theaerial vehicle before the mission starts. However, as mission conditionsmay change, the mission control server may identify that connecting to anew network may improve connectivity for the nodes. Therefore, themission control server may use various sensors (e.g., sensors locatedwithin the travel area, sensors implemented or otherwise associated withthe communication nodes, and/or sensors implemented or otherwiseassociated with the aerial vehicle) to monitor other existing networksthat could be utilized by the aerial vehicle.

At step 608, the mission control server may, when a second communicationnetwork not connected to the communication hub satisfies a threshold,transmitting, by the server, an instruction to the communication hubcontroller, the instruction causing the communication controller tosteer the steerable antenna in a direction of the second communicationnetwork, the instruction further causing the communication hub tocommunicate and connect with the second communication network.

When the mission control server identifies a second network that is notconnected to the aerial vehicle, the mission control server may analyzevarious network attributes of the second network. For instance, themission control server may identify a throughput value, bandwidth, noiserejection, and/or resiliency value of the second network. When thesecond network has one or more network attributes that satisfy one ormore predetermined thresholds, the mission control may identify thelocation of the network. For instance, the mission control server mayidentify a secure network among three previously identified nodes.

In some embodiments, an attribute to be optimized may be selected whenentering mission information. For instance, a user may, before themission starts, instruct the mission control server to performnon-linear optimization protocols and optimize one or more attributes,if possible. That is, the user instructs the mission control server toswitch to a new network if the new network has better attributes in aparticular category (e.g., throughput or resiliency).

If the identified network has network attributes that satisfy one ormore predetermined thresholds, the mission control server may identifythe location of the network by identifying the location of the nodesassociated with the identified network. In some embodiments, the missioncontrol server may also determine whether the distance between theaerial vehicle and the identified network (or a node associated with thenetwork) satisfies a distance threshold. The mission control server mayonly proceed if the distance threshold is satisfied (e.g., the nodeassociated with the identified network is closer to the aerial vehiclethan the predetermined threshold).

After identifying the location of the second network, the missioncontrol server may transmit an instruction to the aerial vehicle wherethe instruction causes a steerable radar (or other communication modulesof the aerial vehicle) to move towards a direction of the identifiednetwork. Therefore, the mission control server may allow the aerialvehicle to dynamically switch from its existing network (initiallyidentified based on mission information received) to a second networkthat may improve connectivity for one or more nodes by allowing asteerable radar to face the second networks direction. The missioncontrol server may also instruct the aerial vehicle to disconnect fromthe first/existing network and connect to the second network.

Using the methods and systems described herein, the mission controlserver can enhance man/unmanned teaming (MUM-T) through networkoptimization of mobile wireless networks like JALNs. The mission controlserver may integrate disparate data links using a router of the aerialvehicle, identify JALN optimizations, and push these optimizations tothe router in the form of antenna-realignment directives.

The JALN identified and utilized during a mission may include a varietyof different network/connectivity protocols (e.g., legacy point-to-pointlinks, such as common data link (CDL) to provide high-capacity,long-range communication capability, other waveforms having LPI/LPDattributes (e.g., multi-link advanced data link or MADL), IP-enabledmultiple input and multiple output (MIMO) waveforms (e.g., TRELLISWARE,WAVERELAY, or STREAMCASTER), and/or common commercial off the shelfwaveforms like LTE and Wi-Fi). Using the methods and systems describedherein the mission control server can reliably continue the data movingbetween the different users (nodes) who rely on it to complete theirmissions, even if the users/nodes are utilizing different communicationprotocols.

When faced with multiple ground subscribers, multiple mountainsobstacles, and multiple aircrafts spread over a larger geographicalarea, and the communication nodes moving throughout the travel path ofthe aerial vehicle, it is nearly impossible/impractical for a human toprovide an optimized connectivity plan. To optimize a large number ofvariables, the mission control server may user heuristic and non-linearapproaches, which are not practical to perform using conventionalmethods.

In some configurations, radios use the Internet Protocol (IP) toencapsulate data, and data dissemination across JALN networks. In thoseconfigurations, transmitting data may be similar to data sharing acrossthe Internet. Due to security reasons, however, in some configurations,JALNs may incorporate non-IP data links. Non-IP communication protocolsare more ubiquitous in military JALNs because they are deployed in manyexisting weapons platforms (e.g., legacy systems).

The non-IP data links were designed to work reliably across a variety ofchallenging conditions and were highly tuned for tactical use. Anon-limiting example of a non-IP data link may include Link-16 radios,which weren't developed as a general-purpose data transport, but ratheras a vertically integrated wireless communication channel on whichaircraft, radars, missile batteries, ships, and ground vehicles caninject and consume situational-awareness information in the formwell-defined 80-bit messages that describe the tactical theater as a setof tracks that identify friendly and hostile objects that have beendetected by platform sensors (like radars) that also participate in theLink-16 network.

Link-16 is an example of a legacy data link that would be impractical todiscard. Link-16 is associated with a higher line-of-site transmissionrange, bounded data delivery time because of its TDMA architecture, andmay be resistant to jamming. In contrast, the Link-16 terminals may beexpensive, difficult to configure, and may have no provisions forself-configuration, self-healing, or scalability.

Similar limitations may also exist for waveforms that do support IPpacketization, notably CDL, army network (ANW2), soldier radio waveform(SRW), and tactical targeting network technology (TTNT). For instance,ANW2 and SRW may require a definition of the number of nodes that can inthe resultant mobile ad-hoc network (MANET). Moreover, theabove-referenced waveforms confound the creation of tactical networkscomprised of different waveforms either because of their flawedmulticast implementations (SRW/ANW2) or suppression of dynamic routingprotocol packets that were not organically generated (TTNT).

The above-described inadequacies are detrimental for manned-unmannedinteroperations in a highly contested area that requires autonomousdeployment of a flying wireless mesh network using UAVs networked withmanned aircraft.

The methods and systems described herein are able to utilize diverse,IP-enabled waveforms, including ANW2, CDL, ROVER/VORTEX, SRW, and TTNTand other non-IP-enabled communication protocols to create seamless dataexchange across JALNs.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 7, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)708 flies throughout a predetermined region to bring connectivity todifferent nodes depicted in this figure (e.g., drone 702 a-c, node 704,and node 706). The UAV 708 is equipped with three different radiosonboard: WaveRelay, common datalink (CDL), and multifunction advanceddatalink (MADL). Each radio communication protocol may have its ownsteerable antenna. The steerable antenna allows the UAV 708 to provideconnectivity to the nodes.

The steerable antenna may be aimed at different nodes configured to usedifferent radio communication technology. For instance, the UAV 708 isconfigured to aim the WaveRelay antenna at drones 702 a-c, the CDLantenna towards the aircraft/node 704, and the MADL antenna towards theaircraft 706. The UAV 708 may use the method in this and systemsdescribed above to initially align each antenna towards different nodesdepicted in FIG. 7.

Multi-beam CDL systems/radars and, in some embodiments, the classifiedMADL waveform may use one of their channels to constantly scan for RFenergy in order to discover neighbors that appear within their range.However, WaveRelay systems/radars may not have ascan-to-discover-neighbors feature for their tracking antenna systems.Instead, the WaverRelay systems/radars may have an initializationprocedure for tracking antennas where the tracking antenna is manuallypointed in a particular direction until a radar lock with a remoteneighbor is attained. After the signal lock has been established, theremote neighbor may transmit (e.g., push) its GPS coordinates to thetracking antenna, and the tracking antenna may track the remoteneighbor. CDL radios and tracking antennas may employ a similar approachto tracking.

Conventional ad-hoc routing protocols made design decisions based on theassumption that a specific node's mobility pattern could not bepredicted. Nodes were assumed to move according to their own protocolsand flight plans. Therefore it would've been the network providers'responsibility to find a path, if one existed between two nodes. Thisassumption, however, has been revised by the methods and systemsdescribed herein. The placement of JALN nodes, especially the airborneassets, and their movement patterns during a mission, may be very wellunderstood by the mission planners who have developed the airborneassets' flight paths.

Rather than having mission-planners manually enter specific waypoint andcourse information, the method and systems described herein plan flightpaths automatically based on information about where the ground,maritime, and air-based mission elements are/will be positioned. Thisinformation, along with relative priorities and specifics about radioparameters and the flight capabilities of the platform allows for themission control server to implement much more effective planning ofcourses and placement in airspace of these new airborne relays.

The mission control server may construct a three-dimensional (3D) modelof all the mission elements over time (including terrain and otherfactors). The mission control server may then use advanced optimizationtechniques to search through hundreds or thousands of possible flightpaths to find the best flight path. The 3D model can include factorssuch as antenna shading (due to aircraft banking) or the propagationcharacteristics of the waveforms and frequencies.

The mission control server may optimize flight paths for a specificobjective function. Conventionally, the mission objective function hasbeen maximization of coverage for ground subscribers to an aerialcommunication relay. However, the mission control server's objective mayalso be defined to maximize JALN performance given steerable antennasand multi-beam radios. The JALN performance metrics built into theobjective functions(s) could include throughput, network diameter,resiliency (elimination of single-points of failure in the JALN), noiserejection, or satellite communication (SATCOM) avoidance.

Referring now to FIGS. 8A-B, and non-limiting example of the methods andsystems is illustrated. As depicted, JALN 800 includes a UAV 806 havinga steerable antenna 808 that allows network connectivity to nodes 810a-c and 804 a-c. UAV 806 provides UAV network 812 that includes nodes810 a-c and UAV network 814 that includes nodes 804 a-c. Nodes 810 a and804 a each have a wireless radio and omnidirectional antenna where thesenodes can communicate with the UAV 806 and provide each respective UAVnetwork 812 and 814. Nodes 810 a and 804 a may have a single-channel CDLradio with an omnidirectional antenna. UAV 806 and node 804 a may eachhave a low-bandwidth SATCOM radio for beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS)communications. UAV 806 may use the steerable antenna 808 for itssingle-channel CDL radio.

In the depicted embodiment, UAV networks 812 and 814 may have relativelyhigh data throughput rates, but relatively short maximum transmissionranges due to low-power amplifiers and omnidirectional antennas (as isthe case for modern multiple input and multiple output (MIMOs), such asTSM-X, WAVERELAY, and SILVUS STREAMCASTER communication protocols). UAV806 and/or the mission control server may identify that the UAV network812 is beyond the range of UAV 806's UAV-network radio. Therefore,mission control sever may instruct the UAV 806 to use the steerableantenna 808 to connect to UAV network 814. The mission control servermay determine that the UAV 806 and the node 804 a are within CDL rangeof one another, but only if the steerable antenna 808 is pointed towardsthe node 804 a. This reconfiguration may cause the loss of connectivityto the UAV network 812. As a result, data exchange between the two UAVnetworks 812 and 814 occurs over the SATCOM link 802.

Utilizing the SATCOM line 802, however, is not a desired method ofcommunication. UAV 806's router may pass data packets across thedifferent JALN waveforms. Because SATCOM link 802 is costly, resourceintensive, and not efficient, UAV 806's router may be forced toprioritized data across the low-bandwidth SATCOM link 802. For instance,if the SATCOM link 802 lacked the capacity to move a full-motion-videostream, the UAV 806's router may halt the data traffic in order topreserve the ability to continue to pass navigation and UAV controldata.

The mission control server may rectify the above-described problem byutilizing the methods and systems described herein, the mission controlserver may instruct the steerable antenna 808 to connect to differentnodes (e.g., physically move towards the direction of different nodes)based on a change in the JALN topology. FIG. 8B illustrates JALN 801.Specifically, the mission control server modifies the JALN 800 into theJALN 801 to increase connectivity efficiencies. When the UAV 806 movesin a position closer to node 804 a (e.g., close enough that node 804 acould directly join the UAV network 812 without the intermediate hopacross CDL link between UAV 806 and node 810 a), the mission controlserver may instruct the steerable antenna

The mission control server may transmit an instruction to the steerableantenna that identifies a direction of the node 804 a and instructs thesteerable antenna 808 to face the identified direction. In someembodiments, the steerable antenna 808 may be equipped with re-routingcapabilities (e.g., self-healing, intelligent route selectiontechnology). When the UAV 806 connects to node 804 a, the SATCOM link802 could be avoided altogether for the JALN 800/801. Avoiding theSATCOM line 802 increases overall JALN throughput.

The mission control server may periodically monitor the location of thesteerable antenna (UAV 806) and the nodes using sensors describedherein. Therefore, the mission control server may consider thepre-mission plan for each node or its respective mobility (and resultantJALN topology, which indicates the actual node-location information. Themission control server may transmit a notification onto an electronicdevice of the UAV 806, such that the notification displays athree-dimensional rendering of the target location and the direction towhich the steerable antenna 808 must face. The notification may alsoinclude an interactive element, whereby an operator of the UAV 806 mayaccept and/or deny repositioning of the steerable antenna 808 inaccordance with the network topology. In effect, mission controlserver's actions may represent initial steps towards providingcognitive-network capabilities for JALNs (and other tactical networks)that are formed from legacy data links without requiring changes tolegacy radio equipment.

The foregoing method descriptions and the process flow diagrams areprovided merely as illustrative examples and are not intended to requireor imply that the steps of the various embodiments must be performed inthe order presented. The steps in the foregoing embodiments may beperformed in any order. Words such as “then,” “next,” etc., are notintended to limit the order of the steps; these words are simply used toguide the reader through the description of the methods. Althoughprocess flow diagrams may describe the operations as a sequentialprocess, many of the operations can be performed in parallel orconcurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may bere-arranged. A process may correspond to a method, a function, aprocedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, and the like. When a processcorresponds to a function, the process termination may correspond to areturn of the function to a calling function or a main function.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, andalgorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosedherein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, orcombinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability ofhardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules,circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms oftheir functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented ashardware or software depends upon the particular application and designconstraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans mayimplement the described functionality in varying ways for eachparticular application, but such implementation decisions should not beinterpreted as causing a departure from the scope of this disclosure orthe claims.

Embodiments implemented in computer software may be implemented insoftware, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware descriptionlanguages, or any combination thereof. A code segment ormachine-executable instructions may represent a procedure, a function, asubprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a softwarepackage, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures,or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another codesegment or a hardware circuit by passing and/or receiving information,data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments,parameters, data, etc., may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via anysuitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing,network transmission, etc.

The actual software code or specialized control hardware used toimplement these systems and methods is not limiting of the claimedfeatures or this disclosure. Thus, the operation and behavior of thesystems and methods were described without reference to the specificsoftware code being understood that software and control hardware can bedesigned to implement the systems and methods based on the descriptionherein.

When implemented in software, the functions may be stored as one or moreinstructions or code on a non-transitory computer-readable orprocessor-readable storage medium. The steps of a method or algorithmdisclosed herein may be embodied in a processor-executable softwaremodule, which may reside on a computer-readable or processor-readablestorage medium. A non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readablemedia includes both computer storage media and tangible storage mediathat facilitate transfer of a computer program from one place toanother. A non-transitory processor-readable storage media may be anyavailable media that may be accessed by a computer. By way of example,and not limitation, such non-transitory processor-readable media maycomprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage,magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any othertangible storage medium that may be used to store desired program codein the form of instructions or data structures and that may be accessedby a computer or processor. Disk and disc, as used herein, includecompact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc(DVD), floppy disk, and Blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce datamagnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers.Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope ofcomputer-readable media. Additionally, the operations of a method oralgorithm may reside as one or any combination or set of codes and/orinstructions on a non-transitory processor-readable medium and/orcomputer-readable medium, which may be incorporated into a computerprogram product.

The preceding description of the disclosed embodiments is provided toenable any person skilled in the art to make or use the embodimentsdescribed herein and variations thereof. Various modifications to theseembodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, andthe generic principles defined herein may be applied to otherembodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the subjectmatter disclosed herein. Thus, the present disclosure is not intended tobe limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded thewidest scope consistent with the following claims and the principles andnovel features disclosed herein.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed, other aspectsand embodiments are contemplated. The various aspects and embodimentsdisclosed are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to belimiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic system for an aerial vehicleconfigured to connect a plurality of communication nodes, the electronicsystem comprising: a communication hub configured to communicate with atleast one communication node within the plurality of communication nodesusing a steerable antenna; and a communication hub controller configuredcontrol one or more movement attributes of the steerable antenna; anaerial vehicle controller configured control one or more movementattributes of the aerial vehicle; and a server in communication with theaerial vehicle, the server configured to: in response to receiving anindication of at least one communication node, generate a plurality ofwaypoints based on a first communication network within a route to betravelled by the aerial vehicle; transmit the waypoints to the aerialvehicle controller; periodically monitor one or more networks notconnected to the communication hub; when a second communication networknot connected to the communication hub satisfies a threshold, transmitan instruction to the communication hub controller, the instructioncausing the communication controller to steer the steerable antenna in adirection of the second communication network, the instruction furthercausing the communication hub to communicate and connect with the secondcommunication network.
 2. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein thecommunication hub connects one or more communication nodes using thesecond communication network.
 3. The electronic system of claim 1,wherein the threshold corresponds to a connectivity attribute of thesecond communication network.
 4. The electronic system of claim 3,wherein connectivity attribute of the second communication networkcorresponds to at least one of a throughput, bandwidth, noise rejection,and resiliency of the second communication network.
 5. The electronicsystem of claim 1, where the electronic system further comprises: one ormore sensors configured to identify a location of the one or morecommunication nodes.
 6. The electronic system of claim 3, wherein thethreshold corresponds to a distance between the one or morecommunication nodes with the aerial vehicle.
 7. The electronic system ofclaim 3, wherein the threshold corresponds to a distance between theaerial vehicle and a communication node associated with the secondcommunication network.
 8. The electronic system of claim 1, wherein theserver is further configured to: instruct the communication hub todisconnect from the first communication network.
 9. The electronicsystem of claim 1, wherein the first communication network is asatellite communication network.
 10. The electronic system of claim 1,wherein the aerial vehicle is an unmanned vehicle controlled via a userremotely operating the aerial vehicle controller.
 11. A methodcomprising: in response to receiving an indication of at least onecommunication node, generating, by a server, a plurality of waypointsbased on a first communication network within a route to be travelled byan aerial vehicle, the aerial vehicle comprising: a communication hubconfigured to communicate with at least one communication node withinthe plurality of communication nodes using a steerable antenna; and acommunication hub controller configured control movement of thesteerable antenna; and an aerial vehicle controller configured controlmovement of the aerial vehicle; transmitting, by the server, thewaypoints to the aerial vehicle controller of the aerial vehicle;periodically monitoring, by the server, one or more networks notconnected to the communication hub; when a second communication networknot connected to the communication hub satisfies a threshold,transmitting, by the server, an instruction to the communication hubcontroller, the instruction causing the communication controller to:steer the steerable antenna in a direction of the second communicationnetwork, the instruction further causing the communication hub tocommunicate and connect with the second communication network.
 12. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the communication hub connect one or morecommunication nodes using the second communication network.
 13. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the threshold corresponds to a connectivityattribute of the second communication network.
 14. The method of claim13, wherein connectivity attribute of the second communication networkcorresponds to at least one of a throughput and bandwidth of the secondcommunication network.
 15. The method of claim 11, where the electronicsystem further comprises: one or more sensors configured to identify alocation of the one or more communication nodes.
 16. The method of claim13, wherein the threshold corresponds to a distance between the one ormore communication nodes with the aerial vehicle.
 17. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the threshold corresponds to a distance between theaerial vehicle and a communication node associated with the secondcommunication network.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the server isfurther configured to: instruct the communication hub to disconnect fromthe first communication network.
 19. The method of claim 11, wherein thefirst communication network is a satellite communication network. 20.The method of claim 11, wherein the aerial vehicle is an unmannedvehicle controlled via a user remotely operating the aerial vehiclecontroller.